Bubble Buster! Georgia Beats Kentucky

Posted: Wed 9:44 PM, Mar 04, 2009&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Wed 11:29 PM, Mar 04, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Georgia coach Pete Herrmann says he stillbelieves Kentucky deserves an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.After what his Bulldogs did to the Wildcats, it's doubtful theselection committee will agree. The all-time winningest college basketball program is in seriousrisk of missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991after Georgia's 90-85 victory on Wednesday night at Rupp Arena. Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said the loss was his fault. "I take the blame for it," he said. "I've tried a bunch ofdifferent things and none of them seem to be working. I thought weplayed hard. I don't think we played smart." Georgia (12-18, 3-12 Southeastern Conference) won for just thefourth time in 32 meetings at Rupp Arena. The Bulldogs' last winagainst Kentucky (19-11, 8-7) came last year as one of their fourvictories en route to an SEC tournament title. Kentucky likely must duplicate that feat, or could be playing inthe National Invitation Tournament rather than the NCAAs later thismonth. The Wildcats have one last regular-season game on Saturdayat Florida, another team fighting for its tournament life after aloss to Mississippi State on Wednesday night. "Obviously with the scores tonight, it's going to make the SECtournament a really terrific tournament down in Tampa," Herrmannsaid. On a night Kentucky honored Jared Carter, its lone senior, inpregame ceremonies, it was Georgia's lone four-year senior,Terrance Woodbury, who spoiled the party. Woodbury had 30 points, two off his career-high, scoring theBulldogs' first nine points, then following with clutch basketsdown the stretch. Among them was his fourth 3-pointer of the gamemidway through the second half that helped halt a rally and hushthe Rupp Arena crowd. "It just took a while to gel together," said Woodbury, whoalso made all 12 of his free throw attempts. "Tonight was anexample of what this team could have been." Trey Thompkins had 19 points and 11 rebounds for his fourthcareer double-double. The Wildcats, down by 10 with less than seven minutes left, cutthe lead to 88-85 after Jodie Meeks nailed a 3 with one second togo. But they would get no closer as Georgia's Dustin Ware made twofree throws. "We just stayed composed the entire game," Georgia's CoreyButler said. "That's what we preached going into the game." The disappointment for Kentucky came despite the team finding,at least for one night, a long-sought third scorer behind Meeks andPatrick Patterson. That turned out to be point guard Michael Porter, who set careerhighs with 15 points and five 3-pointers. One of his long-rangemisses, however, was a critical airball down the stretch. "It's definitely depressing," Porter said. "It's aheartbreaking loss. We have to bounce back, though." Meeks led the Wildcats with 23 points, scoring all but three ofhis points in the second half. Patterson had 14. Georgia made 50 percent of its shots and outrebounded theWildcats 38-27. Kentucky also had 16 steals and 14 blocked shots,but the clutch points almost always went to Georgia. With the Wildcats down 53-51, Georgia took the lead for good byscoring the next 10 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers byButler and Thompkins. Before that, momentum had swung to the Wildcats, whose 16-2 runin the first half erased a sluggish start. Kentucky led 49-47 athalftime after Patterson dunked home a buzzer beater off an inboundpass from Meeks. Carter, finishing a disappointing, injury-riddled career atKentucky, got the traditional Senior Day start but lost the openingtip. He scored one basket before Gillispie replaced him fourminutes in. With the loss, reality about the possibility of no madness inMarch is starting to set in for Kentucky's players. Patterson saysit should provide momentum in the final games. "We don't want to be the team that didn't make it," he said.

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